Determining a new global hegemon through war, particularly nuclear war, is like flipping the table over; it is impossible to tell for sure which pieces will go in which spots on the game board when the table is righted.
The outcome of WWII was highly dependent on chance and unlikely circumstance.
China and its fanatical supporters are attempting to make the rise of China a self-fulfilling prophecy.
However, there are too many weaknesses and headwinds for this to occur in any probable scenario.
A resurgent Empire of Japan would be almost as likely in my view.
Current financial resources and weaponry matter little.
A strong, capable, determined, unified population is most important.
Geography and access to natural resources is second.
The Anglo sphere is still the best-positioned, but lacks a unified population.
The Rus sphere, including Eastern Europe and the Balkans is next, but lacks the extensive geography of the Anglo sphere. (In case of nuclear winter that causes a year or two without summer, the Rus sphere is poorly-positioned)
The Euro sphere should be next, but has a combination of fragmented population and geographical disadvantages.
The Islamo sphere would follow due to its young population of determined fighters, extensive geography and access to local natural resources..
The Sino sphere would be fifth, because of its geographical limitations, a population weakened by decades of communism, restive populations, especially in recently conquered regions, like Inner Mongolia, Hong Kong, Tibet and XinJiang and a population that is far too large and urbanized to adapt to wartime shortages. (Their only probable path to becoming a global hegemon is to play both sides of a conflict, encourage all other parties to fight each other, then conquer or financially enslave its severely weakened geopolitical competitors...particularly Australia)
Israel will be in a heap of trouble, because of the desperation food shortages will cause in countries like Egypt, combined with less monetary assistance from the United States in exchange for not attacking Israel.
Iran, Turkey and Syria will also become immediate threats if they lose Russia as a stabilizing force in the region.
In the event of global or regional war, Israel will likely be the first target of many Middle Eastern countries. If these destabilizing events were to occur at a controlled pace, in controlled regions within the Middle East and elsewhere, it would look like The Yinon Plan, but sudden destabilization will lead to destruction.
Depends if your grandparents experienced WWII from the United States perspective, the German perspective or the Bolshevik Communist perspective.
I don't think we will experience tens of millions, including women, children and the elderly being fed into the meatgrinder with machine guns pointed at their backs to kill them if they drop their weapons or attempt to flee.
Our freedom-hating communist leaders don't yet have the power and control to match the atrocities of Stalin.
Plans should be made, all the same.